Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 GMC Yukon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The dashboard has progressively being cracking for over a year. It has now become very bad in two areas. Above the airbag on the passengers side and all around the housing above the odometers there are several long cracks. I am very concerned that the spreading rate will increase with pieces possibly creaking off and should an accident occur that shard's of plastic could injury passengers or my children. I have contact GMC and they have told me that they do not see any problem and that they would not address this situation. After reviewing the internet thoroughly it is very apparent that there is a defect problem and they do not wish to address. I am more than disappointed that GMC do not take this matter seriously.
Our dashboard cracked on a 3 year old car - the local dealer "repaired" it and the repair lasted all of a day. The crack got progressively bigger and GM refused to cover any of the cost to replace, telling us our only option was to replace the entire dash at a cost of over $1200. We have had it patched by a local repair place who did a better job than the dealer, but the dash still vibrates to the point of shaking and the patch is now coming apart again. The actual crack is now over a 1/2" big. We are worried about the airbags deploying and the sharp plastic causing serious injury.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon denali. The contact stated that the dashboard in the vehicle had suddenly cracked. One crack was on the corner of the passenger air bag and the other was located above the steering wheel. The contact stated that the cracks May interfere with the air bag deployment. There were no warnings prior to the cracks appearing. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
In April 2016 while in motion my sight was drawn away from the oncoming traffic by a resonanting "flapping" of the center of the dashboard assembly. When I later stopped I found a severe fracture in the composite material to the top left side of the air bag reservoir (?). I have the vehicle at a GM dealer now as driving the unit with a pulsating dashboard was a very adverse distraction. While GM appears to acknowledge a product fault exists, I still have to pay over $300 toward replacing the dashboard unit.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon denali. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked in the middle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to suntrup Buick GMC (4200 I-70 north outer rd, st. Peters, mo 63376, [phone]) where it was confirmed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 105,314.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the dashboard had fractures over the passenger side air bag housing. The contact also stated that the center of the dashboard had fractures and separated near the defroster. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 39,500.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked around the passenger side air bag area the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000. Updated 06/02/17 the consumer stated the manufacturer was notified and offered to pay half of the repair costs. The consumer accepted. Updated 10/19/2017
At 50K miles a crack in the dash had begun. Now at 80K there is a crack on both sides of the vent in the center of the dash. On one side, it had 2 cracks and now there is a large triangle shape piece missing. No way to know where that piece went and if it will cause problems down in the dash. Very disappointing given the price of this vehicle many and GMC isn't willing to take responsibility for the problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon denali. The contact noticed a crack on the dashboard above the instrument panel on the driver side. While driving approximately 50 MPH over a bump in the road, the dashboard bounced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000. Ma 09/3/15 updated 11/01/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon denali. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the dashboard cracked on the passenger side and exposed the air bag. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Body complaints in other Yukon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2011 GMC Yukon?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the body & structure of the 2011 GMC Yukon, 17% of the model year's 254 complaints. The component named most often is body (33 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 GMC Yukon body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2011 GMC Yukon, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2011 GMC Yukon body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.